


Meeting Joy

by cloverkid



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Childhood Memories, Fluff, Hopeful Ending, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:21:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloverkid/pseuds/cloverkid
Summary: An accountant with alcoholic issues, at a family reunion at grandma’s.
Relationships: Joy & Spencer, Original Female Character & Original Male Character, Spencer & Clarissa





	Meeting Joy

**Author's Note:**

> this was for an English assignment lol

The bumpy dirt road combined with the harsh downpour leading up to Elaine’s residence in the countryside was a huge pain to drive on. At this point, Spencer was heavily considering just turning back and spending another night alone and intoxicated.

Spencer didn’t even know why he was invited to the family gathering at Elaine’s. He was the screw-up of the family. His life had gone downhill in the past ten years. Married, then divorced for another guy that was “only a co-worker”. His friends left him after he started a monthly routine of drinking day and night. Lost custody of his eight-year old daughter, his only ray of sunshine. At least he still had his crummy job, right?

“Maybe I should fall in love with my job. That way it’ll leave me too.” He sighed heavily.

Spencer took another swig from his drink before slamming the door of the car shut. He crossed the distance between his vehicle and the front porch. There were sounds of laughter and conversation beyond the front door. He knocked, feeling a creeping sense of anxiety when the noise inside abruptly stopped.

His chest tightened. The door opened to a bright, warm grin welcoming him. Spencer was instantly hit with a nostalgic, sweet lavender aroma that reminded him of how things used to be.

“Oh my goodness!” His sister Clarissa exclaimed in glee, ushering him in the house.

It had been ten years, but she didn’t look like she had aged a single day since the last time he’d seen her, except for a few wrinkles here and there. Her smile and eyes had still retained her kind and joyful energy.

“Spencer! It’s been far too long! I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show up! Come in, come in. You can hang your coat there.”

Spencer stepped inside and tried to take everything in at once. The inside of the house was exactly how it looked ten years ago. The old, grey TV sitting in the wooden entertainment center, the ugly carpet that sticks out like a sore thumb, the piano sitting by the window. Countless hours were spent playing ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ on it when he was a child. Nothing had changed, not even the way the furniture was arranged nor the way it smelled.

“Uh, thank you. And yeah, I guess it’s been some time.” Spencer rubbed his neck stiffly. “How’s Elaine?”

She smiled sadly. “She’s hanging in there. After grandpa died last week, she’s needed us by her side.”

“Oh.” Spencer pursed his lips. A pang of guilt shot through him. “Sorry.”

“No, no, it’s alright! I know things haven’t been easy for you either. We have so much to catch up on. How have you been?”

 _Struggling_ , Spencer thought. “I’ve been fine. I’m an accountant now, so I got that going for me.”

Clarissa sniffed. “Have you.. have you been drinking?”

“Just a bit.”

“Spencer! You drank on the way here? On the road?” She frowned disapprovingly.

Before Spencer could come up with a change of subject, someone called for Clarissa from the kitchen in an urgent tone.

“Coming!” She sighed. “We’ll talk about this later. For now, please help yourself to the food on the table.”

Watching her go, Spencer exhaled in relief. He stood awkwardly in the center of the room, surrounded by relatives he wasn’t close to and people he didn’t remember meeting. There were children playing tag in the living room. He didn’t recognize them either.

 _I shouldn’t have come_ , he thought.

After some time, he moved to the table and studied his options. Sandwiches, casserole, turkey, pasta.. Spencer’s eyes trailed off to the array of bottles. He grabbed one and retreated to one side of the room.

After taking a couple gulps, Spencer began to feel a little tipsy. He went to sit in the sofa in the corner next to a wooden bookshelf filled with classical novels that he enjoyed reading in his youth. He couldn’t remember the last time he sat down with a good book and a peace of mind.

“What do uh-count-ants do?” A curious voice prodded at Spencer’s left.

A child with disheveled chestnut locks and clad in a yellow dress peered from behind the arm of the chair. She examines you with wide, black eyes. Clarissa’s daughter. Spencer’s niece.

“Uhm, we.. work with numbers, sweetie.” Spencer drawled, taking another small sip before continuing. “Shouldn’t you be with your mom?”

“I hate math,” She grumbled, completely ignoring Spencer’s question. “It gets harder and harder and never easier.”

Spencer chuckled. “I assure you, it doesn’t get easier. It never does.” Long sip.

“Then why do you do it?” She questioned.

“I don’t know, really. I hate it but I’m good at it so I get paid for it.”

“Hm, okay!” She said, tilting her head. “Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”

“I’m Spencer. I’m Clar- uhm, your mom’s older brother.” Spencer stifled a burp. “So I’m your uncle.”

“You’re my uncle? Cool! I have three uncles now!” Her eyes sparkled. “But Uncle Michael and Uncle Sven don’t want to talk to me ‘cuz I’m a kid.”

She continued, beaming. “My name is Joy, and I am eight years old!”

“Oh.” Spencer rubbed his temple. “I have a daughter, she’s eight years old just like you.”

“Really? Where is she?” Joy looked around. “Is she as tall as me?”

“She’s not here right now.” Spencer set down the bottle and stood up. “But the last time I saw her, she was about yay-high. So yeah, I guess she was taller than you by an inch or two.”

“Aw..” She pouted. “Can I meet her someday?”

“Well,” Spencer took a deep breath. “I wonder that too. I hope so. You two would probably get along really well.”

Clarissa’s daughter reminded him of his little girl. He laughed at her childish jokes and stories and she listened attentively when he provided some insightful life advice. _‘During a negotiation, never make the first offer.’_

Feeling more confident, Spencer struck conversations with old relatives and was met with friendliness and warmth. Before he even knew it, time had passed. One by one, people began to say their goodbyes and gather their belongings. They were good people. He had made new friends and promises to hang out again. Spencer didn’t know why he was so afraid of meeting them in the first place.

By the time it was Spencer’s turn to leave, the rain had stopped. Clarissa handed him his coat and stopped him before he opened the front door.

“Spencer. Thank you so much for coming. It means a lot that you did and that we were able to talk to you again.” She said, gently. “We’re having another gathering next week. Would you like to join us again?”

“Sure.” Spencer awkwardly shrugged. “Thanks again for having me. It was nice, reconnecting. I guess.”

Clarissa smiled warmly. “Thank you. Please, take care of yourself, okay? Promise me.”

“Uhm, I can’t make any promises but-“

“Byeee Uncle Spencer!” Joy yelled from inside the house. Clarissa gave a scolding look.

“Goodbye, Joy.” Spencer chuckled. “Alright, I promise. I’ll try for real this time.”

When Spencer got into his car, he winced at the reek of alcohol washing out the memory of lavender. Had it always been that strong? He rolled his windows down, throwing out the bottle.

He could do this. For Joy. For Clarissa. For his daughter. For himself.


End file.
